A different path to fat-related heart disease
Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States. But heart disease is more than just one disease; there are many different 'flavors' that can result from a heart attack, high blood pressure, diabetes or other causes. In lipotoxic cardiomyopathy, for example, heart function is disrupted by fat accumulation in heart cells. Obesity and high-fat diets are major risk factors for lipotoxic cardiomyopathy. A team led by Rolf Bodmer, Ph.D. at Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute (Sanford-Burnham) recently unraveled an alternative pathway to lipotoxic cardiomyopathy in fruit flies a genetic mechanism that occurs independently of a diet high in fat. Their study, published in the January 15 issue of Genes & Development, lays the foundation for the development of new ways to combat lipotoxic cardiomyopathy and other types of heart disease.